5U SHS 7A DSU BO UNS BU Li ae 
Concentrations of canvasbacks on the “Keokuk Pool,” Pool 19 from 
Hamilton to Gladstone in Hancock and Henderson counties, at times reach 
150,000, or half the continental populations, during November or early 
December. “An inadvertent discharge of toxic substances, or an accidental 
spill of petroleum products would have an irreversible impact on the 
population of canvasbacks,” says the Bureau. Both federal officials and 
state biologists in the Conservation Department are extremely concerned 
about the welfare of these large diving duck concentrations, particularly 
in view of increasing industrial development and barge traffic associated 
with the Mississippi River. “A national treasure has become extremely 
vulnerable,” says the Bureau’s Jack Hemphill, head of the regional office 
at Minneapolis. 
fi rat ft A 
1973 Nest-Record Card Program Results Announced; 
More Observers Urged to Participate in ‘74 
During the 1973 nesting season, we renewed the Nest-Record Card Program 
in Illinois. In this program, we cooperate with the Laboratory of Ornithol- 
ogy, Cornell University, to collect as much information as possible about 
nesting Illinois birds. The object is to find as many nests of each species 
as possible and record the habitat, nesting site, and all other pertinent 
information about each nest—without disturbing the nests. 
In many instances, nests may be observed only one time, or young 
birds may no longer be in their nests (waterfowl and other precocial 
species) and may only be seen one time—yet nest-record cards can and 
should be completed for such observations even though complete results 
of the nests were not obtained. 
This program is of great value to our non-game research work, because 
it yields much information about non-game species which usually goes un- 
recorded. Therefore, it is requested that all completed nest-record cards 
(sample shown) be mailed to the Non-Game Program, Illinois Department 
of Conservation, Springfield 62706. We will make copies of the cards, pre- 
pare annual summaries from them, and forward the originals to Cornell 
University for its nation-wide program. 
The first year of this renewed program was quite successful, with 27 
contributors submitting 278 nest cards of 65 species. Figure 2 shows the 
number of cards received from each county and indicates that records came 
primarily from only four areas of the state. Table 1 shows the number of 
nests reported for each species; Table 2 indicates the total number of 
nesting species found in each county; and Table 3 provides a county 
comparison of the number of nests reported. 
Since this was just the renewal of an older program, not everyone was 
aware of it again. Therefore, many known nests were not reported. Such 
nests included at least one for the Swainson’s Hawk, Purple Gallinule, 
Piping Plover and Swainson’s Warbler. Hopefully, more observers will 
complete nest-record cards for all nests located and return them to the 
Non-Game Program at the end of the nesting season. Nest-record cards 
and instructions are available upon request or at the annual meeting of 
the Illinois Audubon Society. 
(continued page 32) 
